The untold Animorphs, 29.5 The Travelers
by Wyrren Malfoy
Summary: This will eventually be a Harry Potter/Animorphs crossover. The animorphs get a very interesting mission from Erek... just r/r!
1. Default Chapter Title

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The untold Animorphs

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#29 1/2: The Travelers

Told by Marco

Chapter One

"So... Cassie... the blue dress or the red one?" I asked Cassie. We, meaning the entire group of Animorphs were sitting in the barn, all kinda lounging around. Tobias was sitting on the rafters above our heads. Ax, once again in human morph, was trying to eat several types of bugs. Cassie was trying to get Jake to help her clean out a raccoon's cage.

Rachel's face lit up. "I don't think red is your color, Marco."

Cassie snorted.

I gave Rachel my 'evil glare'. "Ha, ha, and also, ha. Very funny, Xena. If you must know, my date for the school dance is trying to decide between two dresses, and she asked me to chose for her."

At this point Rachel nearly fell off her feet from astonishment. "You? Date? Marco? Girl?"

Jake smirked. "Congratulations. Ax, you don't want to eat that!"

"It's a miracle!" Rachel announced. "Marco convinced a girl to go out with him!" Rachel, her blue eyes wide and innocent leaned over and whispered to me, "So, how much did you pay her?"

I rolled my eyes. Tobias, the only one who could hear Rachel's question, laughed.

Ax looked up from the rabbit kibble he had been sampling. "This has a very interesting flavor. Flay-vor. Ay-vor. Flavor."

"And since when are YOU the expert in clothing, Marco?" Rachel asked.

I shrugged Rachel's question off and ran a hand through my longish hair, which I had decided to grow out again, much to Rachel's annoyance. Really, I thought I looked pretty good. "Isn't Erek supposed to be here by now?"

Ax looked up from the rabbit food. "He will be here in approximately thirty nine seconds. Of your time."

"Ax, you can drop the your time thing. We are on earth. There is only one type of second." I must have had this argument with the alien at LEAST three dozen times already.

"He will now be here in twenty two seconds." Ax said. I waited for the inevitable. "Of YOUR time."

I moaned. "Here approacheth the bearer of all bad news."

Rachel gave me a fake look of pity. "Ahhh... poor Marco... is he going to miss his dance?"

The thought had never occurred to me.

"Hey everyone!"

Erek entered the room. Exactly on time, might I add. "Hey, Erek. Where are we going now? Oh! Wait! I know! We're heading off to the moon to collect the legendary lunar cheese!"

Rachel hit me on the head. "Shut up, Marco."

I ignored her and started humming 'the twilight zone'. 

"Close, but not quite." Erek smiled, then suddenly looked very serious. "They're moving."

"Who's moving? The dairy farms?" I asked.

"Shut UP Marco!" Rachel glared at me. I started doing cow impersonations.

"The yeerks."

This got my full, undivided attention. "What? Where?"

Jake nodded, snapping into 'leader' mode. "Why? More details, please?"

I groaned.

Erek crossed his arms. "To England. Visser three is relocating the main infestation. He's already in London now."

I blinked. "This could be a problem…"

"Oh, really, Sherlock?" Rachel scoffed. "I say we go to England and kick some yeerk but!"

"How did I know you were going to say that?" I rolled my eyes.

"Where is England?" Ax asked.

"On the other side of the world, almost." I said. "Eureka, California and England aren't exactly close."

"Well…" Cassie frowned. "If… if we did go to England… it would just be for a few weeks, right? We'd just have to show them that we're going where ever they go, and they'll come back here, right?"

"Can anyone say, 'wishful thinking'?" I said sarcastically. "We don't really have a choice. If we just stay here, they'll know we're human. Or at least they'll have evidence against us."

Jake nodded. 

"I say let's do it!" Rachel grinned.

"Oh, no." I moaned. "Ok, Erek, just a few things. I recently got a date with this girl who considers me to be a deity, so treat her like a queen. Her name is Charlotte and her usual greeting to me it 'hello, gorgeous'…"

Rachel burst out laughing, which totally wrecked my train of thought.

  
Erek nodded, smiling slightly. "'Hello, gorgeous'. Got it."

"You know," Rachel sat down on a bale of hay. "It's hard to believe that Marco got anyone to like him at all. What if Charlotte is one of _them_, and she's just trying to get close to Marco?"

I waved my hands around in the air. "Why do you think that every girl who gets a crush on me is a controller?!"

"Because, it's irrational that any sane person would ever want to go to a dance with you, Marco, be reasonable." Rachel smiled prettily.

I rolled my eyes. "Hey, there are a lot of girls just waiting to go out with me!"

Nearly every one in the barn started cracking up. Tobias was nearly falling off his perch on the rafters. I glared at them.

"Ok, back to the topic. Let's take it to a vote, who wants to go to England?" Jake asked.

"I'll miss the dance!" I protested.

"Then don't come." Rachel shot at me.

The vote ended up unanimous.

"Alright, no algebra for a month!" Cassie grinned.

Ax laughed. "Algebra? You _are_ joking, aren't you? _Algebra?_"

I rolled my eyes. "Aliens."

Jake got up. "Well… Tom'll get suspicious if I'm not home by ten. I'll look up the flights to England and we'll work out a plan on how to get aboard the plane tomorrow."

"Oh no. Another last minute plan. I hate those. We always end up screaming and running for our lives half demorphed whenever we do one of those."

"You got a better idea?" Rachel asked me.

"Yes. How about we all stay home and watch the football game that's on tomorrow night?"

"I'll take that as a 'no'." Jake grinned and walked out of the barn.

And one by one, we all followed.


	2. Default Chapter Title

# **Chapter Two**

Marco's white, furry face grinned as he looked around the baggage section of the plane. Thank you for using Delta Airlines. Our help line can be reached by dialing…

Shut up, Marco. Rachel growled.

In case of emergency, please us the emergency exits at the back of the plane… Marco continued.

Shut UP, Marco. Rachel glared at him. Marco, in artic fox morph, had just been sniffing out where any food might be.

Cassie laughed. Ok, you guys all remember the plan?

Marco rolled his cute little fox eyes. Yes, Cassie. We stay in fox morph for an hour and a half, then demorph and remorph, and keep on doing that for ten hours or however long it takes to get there. Ax keeps track of time, and when we land we all morph sparrows and fly away. Happy?"

Tobias wrinkled his nose. Sparrows? Do we have to do sparrows _again_?

Cassie shook her head. I thought we went over the sparrows idea. Bad plan… it'll be dark when we reach England. We go owl.

Prince Jake?

Jake glanced over at Ax. Yeah?

There is some very interesting food here. Do these foxes have a good sense of taste?

Marco groaned. Oh, no…

Eat nothing, Ax. Jake said. And do I have to mention that I hate being called 'prince'?

No, Prince Jake.

Jake nodded solemnly. Ok, just as long as we're clear on that.

Rachel yawned widely.

Can't we see if we can sneak up to the other part of the plane and see the in-flight movie? Marco asked. I mean, I'm not a big fan of airline food, but…

Shut up, Marco. Rachel snapped.

Marco glared at Rachel. Oooh… mighty Xena! Teach me the error of my evil ways! Can't you say anything besides 'shut up, Marco'?

Rachel raised her head slightly. The plane started picking up speed. Well, I could always say 'Shut up, stupid', which would be a bit more accurate, but I don't think that would be appreciated.

Ha, ha, and, also, ha. Marco said dryly. You're bored already?

Oh, just… never mind. Rachel snapped. Rachel snaps a lot more when she's bored.

Well… might as well get comfortable. Jake said. We're in for a long, boring ride.

Jake didn't know how right he was.

How much longer? Marco must have asked for the thousandth time.

One hour and thirty eight minutes, Ax said automatically. Of YOUR time.

Ax! Please! Drop the our time, your time thingy. We are on Earth… 

Shut UP, Marco. Rachel groaned.

So… does anyone know any good blonde jokes? Marco asked.

Hey! Tobias wrinkled his little fox nose.

Tell one and die, Marco. Rachel snapped.

How do you kill a blonde? Marco asked.

Rachel started growling.

Ax laughed. That was very funny, Marco.

Marco rolled his eyes. I haven't told the punch line!

Jake shook his head and sighed. I give up. How do you kill a blonde?

How do you wish to die, Marco? Rachel glared at the fox to her left.

You put a scratch and sniff on the bottom of a pool. Ahh! No biting! Marco ran across the suitcases and luggage, trying to get away from the other fox.

Go Rachel! Tobias called.

Help! Cassie! Help! Marco dove behind another fox.

I don't get it. Ax confessed.

Jake lay back down. Marco, sensing it was safe, took a few steps away from Cassie.

_Told by Marco_

Three minutes, twenty seven seconds. Ax finally announced.

Cassie, Rachel, Tobias, Jake, Ax, and I started demorphing. Oh, that was boring… Cassie shook her head. "Owl time."

The plane touched down. I grinned and started speaking in a fake English accent. "Thank you for flying Delta airlines. Please do not remove your seatbelts until the plane has come to a complete stop…"

"Shut UP, Marco!" Rachel snapped, then staggered a bit as the plane shook slightly.

Let's just get this over with, Tobias, as his usual feathery self complained.

Jake nodded. "Let's go."

Five minutes later, we were six owls just hanging out in the baggage compartment of the plane.

Owl jokes, anyone? I asked.

No one answered. The baggage door had just opened. Several men started unloading the bags, the one closest to us with a long, red hair tied back in a ponytail.

Let's go. Rachel said.

What if they're controllers? Cassie whispered.

The Yeerks just relocated, I don't think we're going to have to worry about that just yet. Jake said in his 'leader' voice. Let's go one at a time, when the fellow has his back turned.

I'll go first. Rachel opened her wings and took off past the door. The man never even saw her.

So far, so good. Ax, you next. Jake glanced around.

Ax got out, then Cassie, then Tobias.

After you, oh great and fearless leader. I laughed.

Jake hooted softly, spread his wings, and flew out.

No one had been spotted yet.

Well… here goes nothing. I opened my wings and soared towards the door.

"What the…" the man unloading the baggage dropped the backpack he was holding. "An owl!"

Uh oh…

The man jumped out of my way and laughed. "Look, Charlie! Airmail! The owl's have got it figured out!"

What? Surprised, I tried to turn, and ended up crashing into the side of the plane door. I heard my wing bone snap.

The man named Charlie ran over. "Great, Bill. You just _had_ to distract it…"

The man named Bill picked me up gingerly.

Guys! My wing's broken! I yelled.

Marco, can you get away? Cassie called.

No… but I don't think these guys are controllers… just weirdos. Hang on… I looked up at the man.

"Charlie, do you have your wand? I think his wing's broken."

Charlie winced. I noticed several burns on his arms. He looked rather like the other man, Bill, with flaming red hair and a face full of freckles. "I can't do first aid magic! Mum might be able to… not me. And unless you've gotten a lot better, neither can you."

I blinked. Magic?

The man named Bill sighed. "Let's just get the package and go. Wonder whose owl this is… a real beauty."

I decided I rather liked Bill. Charlie was still a weirdo.

Marco! As soon as you can, demorph, remorph, and get on the airport roof! Jake called. 

Got it, Jake. I yelled back. Don't worry!

"Found it, Bill!" Charlie called.

Bill nodded. "Great… let's get going before they find the real luggage carriers."

Charlie nodded, taking a stick out of his back. "To the burrow?"

I blinked. What was going on? The _real_ luggage carriers? What? Who were these men?

Bill took out a stick as well, and in seconds, he, Charlie, and I were gone.

***

Jake swooped into the plane. Marco?

There was no one there.

Cassie followed. How… what happened? Marco was just in here… we were watching, he never left the plane!

Jake didn't answer.

Are you sure he's gone? Rachel asked.

The plane is empty, Rach. Cassie said in a dead sort of voice.

We have a mission to attend to… Jake said, although he really didn't sound like he cared. Right now the yeerks didn't seem that important.

Marco was gone.


	3. Default Chapter Title

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Chapter Three

"Oh… the poor bird… here, let me see him." Molly Weasley took the poor, injured owl from Charlie with one hand, and reached for her wand with the other.

The wand immediately turned into a candlestick. Mrs. Weasley stared at it, then dropped it and reached for her real wand, muttering under her breath about jokes going too far. The owl, a handsome, great horned owl, hooted a bit, looking around the room as if in a trance.

As gently as she could, Molly held the owl's wing and healed the bone. The owl hooted loudly, then stared at his wing for several seconds.

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Well, I guess we'd better let this guy go."

"You'll do nothing of the sort." Mrs. Weasley snapped. "It's sopping wet outside, he's probably famished, and we've got enough going on with Harry and Hermione coming for the week." Charlie looked ready to argue, but Mrs. Weasley cut him off. "He can use Errol's old perch."

Charlie nodded. Errol, the family owl, had died two weeks before, and the Mr. and Mrs. Weasley didn't have the money to replace him. Mrs. Weasley looked outside, where the rain was so thick that even the street wasn't visible, then put the owl down on the perch.

"I wonder who's he is." Charlie muttered. "He was on the plane, but he wasn't carrying any mail. You'd think that an owl that used a muggle airplane to get back here more quickly would have had a reason for it."

Mrs. Weasley shrugged, and started making dinner. After a minute, the owl flew off the perch, heading upstairs.

"I hope he doesn't hurt himself." Bill muttered, then looked away as the door to the house flung open, letting in a very wet Mr. Weasley, followed by Hermione, Ron, and Harry. Behind them trotted a huge, black dog, and a fluffy, ginger cat.

"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley turned and gave Harry a big hug, who in turn looked very embarrassed and somewhat pleased. The black dog got as close as he could to Harry, then shook the water out of his fir.

"Sirius!" Harry protested. "I'm wet enough!"

The dog tilted his head, as though laughing at him.

  
"It's not funny." Hermione said severely.

The dog whimpered and put his paw over his nose, looking ashamed, then tilted his head and gave them all a big grin.

"Is it safe for him to transform?" Ron asked his dad.

Mr. Weasley ran his hand across the top of his head, as though wanting to run his fingers through the hair that no longer existed. "It should be. Molly, is there anyone else here?"

Mrs. Weasley shook her head, and the black dog turned into a human with a small _pop! _Sirius grinned. "I thought you needed a little cheering up.

"Great, now I'm half drowned." Harry mock-glared at his godfather.

Sirius laughed. "Your father didn't like that, either."

"Come on, you're late for dinner!" Mrs. Weasley scolded, and the entire group, Bill, Charlie, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Sirius, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat down, joined shortly by Ron's little sister, Ginny.

Harry had just taken his first bite when he heard it. Loud hissing was coming from one of the upstairs rooms, followed by a cross between a screech and a hoot. The Weasleys all looked up in slight confusion.

A small deformed figure scrambled down the stairs with human arms. Other then that, it looked almost entirely like an owl. Following Marco closely was Crookshanks. 

No one from the Weasley table moved. They all just sat there, watching to the strange chase. Sirius, stared as the owl with the arms tried to beat the cat off. "So, exactly what have Fred and George been up to lately?"

"Hopefully nothing that would result in _that_." Mrs. Weasley stared apprehensively at the mutant owl.

"Oh, honestly." Hermione stood up and grabbed her cat, who hissed and tried to rake her with his claws.

"So, who's the animagus?" Harry asked.

The owl stared at the table.

"Well, you're halfway transformed, you might as well turn back all the way." Harry said pointedly.

The owl gave a rather week hoot, then turned slowly into a human teenage boy. Ginny looked away, feeling sick.

Ron frowned, glaring at the boy. "Two questions. Where did you learn to do that, and exactly how old are you, and why are you in my house?"

"That's three, Ron." Hermione corrected automatically. "And… exactly who are you?"

The boy stared at the family, who seemed very calm and relaxed, considering what had just happened. "I'm dead."

"Well, you might be. Depends on what you say." Sirius growled.

"Um… hi, my name's Marco? I'm fifteen… I was brought here by them…" Marco jerked his head in Charlie and Bill's direction. "And I have to be going now, so…"

Marco made a break for the door, which slammed itself shut. Marco grabbed the handle, but the door wouldn't budge.

"That won't work, Marco."

Marco turned around and glared at the bushy haired girl holding the cat. She was holding a stick towards him, like a weapon. 

The youngest red head boy had drawn his wand as well. "Sit down before I make you."

Marco sat. "Who are you people?"

"My name is Harry Potter." Harry said. "Where did you learn to be an animagus?"

"A what?"

"Animagus." Harry repeated. "You can turn into an owl."

"Um… you're starting to scare me." Marco said. Which was really an understatement.

"You're the owl that had my cat worked up in a frenzy." Hermione pointed out. "Get talking, bird boy."

Marco glanced at the wand in her hand. "I can't say anything. Just let me go… I'll leave, you'll never see me again, and you can go on with your crazy lives."

Hermione shook her head. "You're staying."

Marco glanced around the room. The house he was in seemed to have no rhyme nor reason for its structure, and it reminded Marco of the works of Dr. Suess. "You can't make me stay. I can get out if I want to. I just don't want to hurt anyone." Marco winced. Great. Now he sounded like Cassie.

Hermione glanced at Harry, then at Sirius, who nodded and pointed his wand at Marco. Moments later, Marco found himself tied to the chair.

"Now." Hermione stood up. Bill and Charlie seemed to think this was entertainment, and were leaning back, enjoying themselves. Mr. Weasley was watching curiously, and Mrs. Weasley looked thoroughly alarmed. Ginny just looked confused.

Marco glared at her.

"Where did you learn to be an animagus? The ministry most certainly did not sign your papers; you're underaged!"

Marco shook his head. "I'm not an animagus."

"Oh?" Hermione crossed her arms. "Then what are you?"

Marco didn't say anything. Harry rolled his eyes. "Hermione, there are easier ways to do that. I mean, maybe he really was just trying to get away…"

"Not with the three murder attempts this week alone, Harry." Hermione said. "What, you want to use a truth potion?"

Harry held out a glass vile, filled with a foggy green potion. "Verax. Not as strong as veritarsium, but it'll do." Harry stood up and walked over to Marco, who was looking at the group as though he'd been captured by a mob of lunatics. "Open your mouth."

"No." Marco opened his mouth, and got a few drops of the potion in it. Wondering briefly if he'd just been poisoned, Marco tried to loosen the ropes holding him. No chance of getting away.

"Now." The redhead boy named Ron stood up. "Are you or are you not an animagus?"

"I don't know what that means." Marco said.

"You can change into an owl. Why?"

"The Andalite…" Marco was getting red in the face, and he looked like he was trying his hardest not to say a word. "he gave us the power… blue box… construction site…"

"Are you a wizard?" Harry asked.

"No." Marco blinked. "You're… sorcerers?"

"Wizards and witches." Hermione answered. "What's an andalite?"

"Aliens."

Ron tried to keep from laughing. "Harry, are you sure that's the right potion?"

Harry nodded. "Dead sure."

Ron stared at Harry, for a moment comparing him to the first year he had met on the train. It had been almost six years since he had met Harry, and Harry hadn't really been the same since his fifth year… Hermione, too, for that matter.

"Why were you given the power to turn into an owl?" Hermione asked.

Marco tried to shut his mouth. "The Yeerks are taking over."

No one laughed this time.

"Finite incantantum!" Harry jumped up. Marco stopped speaking at once. "We don't need to know any more. He's not in league with Voldemort-" Everyone but Marco and Sirius flinched at the name. "and he didn't mean to spy on us. This is getting pathetic."

Ginny rose and helped Harry untie Marco. Marco stared at him.

"Sorry, Marco. My name is Harry Potter." Harry motioned to the table. "Want some dinner?"

Marco stared at them. Hermione was busy looking guilty, and only Ron was still looking suspicious. "Um… I have to get going…" Marco glanced out of the window, at the pouring rain, then shook his head. "Sure… Um…"

"Molly Weasley." Mrs. Weasley smiled and summoned a chair.

"Mrs. Weasley… will you explain what's going on?" Marco looked around. "Not that I'm against chairs that come when you call, but just the same, this is getting a little… weird?"

Mrs. Weasley smiled and started dishing Marco up. "I'm sorry about the cat and the potion, dear. It's just that people have been breaking into the house lately, and you could've been… one of _them_."

"One of _them?_" Marco asked. "The Yeerks?"

"The death eaters." Harry said. "Followers of Voldemort."

The man named Sirius nodded. 

"Who's Voldemort?" Marco asked. "Isn't that French for 'flight of death'?"

Ron stared at the boy. "Don't say his name!"

Marco shook his head. "Ok… look. I'm in a strange country, eating with a bunch of… wizards, of all people. I've been separated from my group, I have no idea where anything is… and now you're going on about some flight of death."

Harry sighed. "You're a muggle."

Hermione smiled a bit at Marco. "Sorry… here. I have an idea. You tell us what you're talking about, and we'll explain as best we can about the magical world. Alright?" Hermione held out her hand. "We can help you, if you want."

Marco seemed to be considering. Then he shook Hermione's hand. "Deal."


End file.
